LAS VEGAS – Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva (16-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) hardly had the look of a man being thrown to the wolves three days before a fight with former UFC champion Cain Velasquez (9-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC).

Despite his status as a promotional newcomer and massive underdog, Silva looked relaxed at open workouts in support of UFC 146, where he faces Velasquez in the co-main event.

“I like it when I’m not a favorite,” Silva said. “I’m so relaxed. Now I’m in the same situation as the Fedor (Emelianenko) fight.”

UFC 146 takes place Saturday at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event’s main card airs live on pay-per-view while FX and Facebook carry preliminary-card fights.

Silva was an even bigger underdog when he fought Fedor Emelianenko in the opening round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix. In a career highlight, he battered the Russian en route to a TKO win at the end of the second round.

Quickly, though, Silva came back to Earth. Following the purchase of Strikeforce by UFC parent company Zuffa in March 2011, he watched as the new owners scooped up talent, including his semifinal opponent, Alistair Overeem.

When the then-unheralded Daniel Cormier was called up from the ranks of tournament alternates, Silva lost interest.

“I was so sad,” he said. “I fought (him) only because of the money.”

The fight, which took place this past September before an anemic crowd in Cincinnati, was a blowout. Cormier stung Silva with a flurry of punches – in the process breaking his hand and delaying the tournament’s end – and in less than four minutes, all the momentum Silva had built with Emelianenko was gone.

Later, Silva’s wife would tell him she knew he wouldn’t win because she could see in his eyes that he didn’t have the spirit to fight.

“I didn’t want to fight, and I lost very fast,” he said.

Cormier, of course, would go on to win the tournament and prove to the world his potential. Silva could have gone back to the minors, but instead, he was signed to the UFC.

Now, the Brazilian said he’s got his mojo back.

“It’s a big opportunity for my personal life and for my professional life,” Silva told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I will win this fight.”

That’s even if the ground beneath him hasn’t exactly been stable. Silva’s original UC 146 opponent was Roy Nelson, who had lost three of four of his previous octagon outings. Then Overeem was booted from a title fight with Junior Dos Santos, and Frank Mir was installed in his place, which led “Bigfoot” to Velasquez.

Prior to a first-round knockout loss to Dos Santos, Velasquez had mowed down seven consecutive opponents inside the octagon and topped most heavyweight rankings.

As a first challenge, it’s steep for Silva, who went 3-2 under the Strikeforce banner. But he believes everything has worked out for the best.

“I never want to lose,” Silva said. “But I lost, and … after Nelson (they gave me) Cain, who’s the No. 2 [heavyweight] in the world. It’s very good for me.”